Regulator for steam-generating apparatus.



0. F. PERSSON. REGULATOR FOR STEAM GENERATING nunuus.

APPLICATION rum) no. a, 1902.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Patented Nov. 1,1910! I InOenbor- Obbofi ersson M Q oqbtfy aim-man rim sum Gunning-urn v gamma-anus I InOerfc/or Otto Fr sson UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO F. PERSSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, B Y 'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION- OF NEW YORK' REGULATOR FOR STEAM-GENERATING APPARATUS.

Specification of imrs Patent.-

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Application filed December 5, 1902. Serial No. 133,967..

erating Apparatus, of which the followingv is a specification.

Th1s invention relates to steam or other vapor generating apparatus, and its object is to provide simple and efiicient means-for regulating the supply of liquid fuel and water to a burner and boiler, and more especially to a boiler of the type for rapidly generating steam commonly known as ,a semi-flash boiler or flasher. It is desirable in this class of steam generators to be able to vary the water and fuel in accordance with the demands upon the, boiler ,and

in substantially thesame degree, and also to vary them simultaneously and in, the same proportions. My invention aims to accomplish this in a simple and automatic manner,

and at the same time to allow for positive variation by the operator, whendesired.

In carrying out my invention two separate pumps, or a double cylinder pump is employed, one pump or cylinder for water and the other for oil or other liquid fuel, both pistons being driven by a common cross-head or other connectlon which is moved positively in one direction by an eccentric or its equivalent, and in the other direction by a spring or its equivalent. The

extent to which the spring is permitted to move thecross-head on the return stroke is limited by a stop, which is automatically adjusted in its position by a device responsive to the steam pressure in the boiler. As the steam pressure increases, the stroke of both pumps is shortened and the supply of water and fuelis cut down. Conversely, when the pressure falls, owing to an increased demand upon the boiler, the pump stroke is lengthened, and the supply of water and fuel is increased simultaneously and in the same proportion. The amounts ofwater and fuel delivered by the pumps vary substantially in the same degree as. the demand for vapor and in substantial unison therewith.

In the accompanying 'drawings,'Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a boiler, steam engine, fuel and water tanks, pumps, and the regulating devices which form the subject of this present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation. of the eccentric, on a larger scale,

and Fig. 3' is and strap. I

The boiler shown comprises a jacket 1 suitably lined with asbestos 2 or the like inclosingthe steam or vapor generating coils 3 and the sup'erheating coils 4 above the coils 3.' Under the coils is a fire chamber containing a burner 5 of any approved'type for burning oil or other liquid fuel. The products of combustion escape through the upwardly opening flue 6 or through suitable passages 7 into a downdraft flue 8. The en'- gine 9 is supplied with steam through a an end View of said eccentric pipe 10 leading from the superheating coil 4, and the exhaust -steam escapes through a pipe 11 into a reheating compartment 12 at the top of the boiler, whence. it goes through. passages 13 into the down-draft flue. In circuit with the supply pipe to the engine is a throttle valve by means of which the activity of the system as a whole is con-, trolled. The operator manipulates the valve and the automatic mechanism takes care of the water and fuel supplies. I

The liquid fuels contained in a tank 14, where it is put under an initial pressure by means of an air pump, 15, preferably operated by hand. The 011 tank is connected by a pipe 16 with the oil pump 17 from which a delivery pipe 18 leads to the burner 5. The water is stored in a tank 19, from which it is drawn by the water'pump 20 and delivered through the pipe 21 to the lower end of the steam generating coil 3.

' Inasmuch as there are times when the demand for steam is light, and as such times may occur when the vehicle is running at a relatively high speed, it is necessary to provide means whereby the effective delivery or discharge of the pump can be varied. This change in the effective discharge is accomplished by varying the stroke of the pump piston by means of a regulator comprising certain novelfeatures in construction. The

regulator is interposed between the pump piston and its actuating device in such manner that the pump may work at full stroke or at any portion of its stroke between maximum and zero. -Means are also provided whereby the pumpnpiston can be held stationary while the actuating device is in operation.

. for instance as a c One advantage of my invention resides in the fact that the work done by the actuating device varies with the work done by the pump, so that as the effective discharge of the pump decreases from maximum to mimmum so also the work by the actuating device is correspondingly reduced. This saving of power is of especial value in automobile vehicles.

The improved regulator is construct bd as follows: The plungers of the oil and water pumps are rigidly secured to a common cross-head 22, which is connected, preferablyby the rods 23 and yoke 24, with a connecting rod 25 engaging with a suitable device for actuating it in one direction to produce the expulsion stroke of the pumps. The return or suction stroke is effected by a spring 26 or the like attached to the crosshead.

For actuating the cross-head I prefer to use an eccentric 27 keyed on ashaft 28 which is driven by the engine 9. The eccentric enga es with a forked head 29 secured to the en of the connecting rod and straddling the shaft 28, by which it is guided in its reciprocating movements under the action of the eccentric and the spring. Guide-blocks 30 may be suitably mounted on the shaft to fit between the jaws of the fork and afford a straight bearing surface for the same. The forked head is preferably double, as shown, its two branches receiving the eccentric between them and providing bearings for a cross-bar receiving the thrust of the eccentric. The bar preferably carries an anti-friction 'roll 31 pressing against the periphery of the eccentric on the side opposite tothe cross-head and spring. The eccentric thus operates to pull the cross-head against the tension of the spring during one half of its revolution, but has no effect upon the cross-head during the other half of its revolution. To put the matter in a difierent way the driving connection includes a lostmotion .device.

In order to vary the stroke of the pumps to correspond. with the demand 'upon the boiler, an adjustable back-stop is provided to limit'the return movement of the crosshead after it has been given an actuation by the eccentric. Thisstop is preferably, although not necessarily, a'bar 32'lying in the path of the yoke 24 and movable along guide-rods 33 against the action of a spring 34. The position of this bar determines the length of the stroke of the pumps by stopping the cross-head .on its return stroke. The bar is provided with means'for automatically shifting it in accordance with the pressure on the water side of the .boiler, such ylinder 35. connected at one end with the pipe 21 and containing a plunger 36 pressing against thebar 32 and acting to move the bar and compress the spring 34 when the boiler pressure increases. The strength of the spring is so selected that the boiler pressure can rise to say 400 to 500 pounds per square inch before the plunger 36 can begin to move the bar to shorten the stroke ofthe pumps, from which point it will yield until the boiler pressure has risen to say 550 pounds, when the-pumps will cease workin entirely, and the eccentric will revolve reely between the forks without actuatin the cross-head at all, and therefore wit out consuming any power. A lever 37 is arranged to move the bar when J necessary, being provided with a ratchet and pawl locking devlce 38 to hold it in any desired position. The lever may be operated by the hand or foot of the chauifeurpso that the working of the pumps can be controlled at will.

It will thus be seen that my invention affords a simple and efficient device for re ating the feed of water and oil to a boller and its burner in automatic correspondence with the demands upon the boiler; and also that the range of such automatic regulation can be varied at will by the operator. a

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the princi le of-operat-ion of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,--

1. The combination with a boiler, of a liquid fuel burner, water and fuel pumps for su plying water to the boiler and fuel to the urner, means for simultaneously actuating the pumps, an adjustable back-stop for the'pump pistons, and an automatic pressure regulator for adjusting the position of the stop.

2. The combination with a boiler, of. a liquid fuel burner, water and fuel pumps for supplying water to the boiler and fuel to the burner, means for imparting simultaneous movements to the pumps, a driving connection for said means including a lostmotion connection, an adjustable stop for the pumps, and a device acted upon by the boiler pressure for adjusting the stop.

3.In'combination, a boiler comprising a vaporizer and super-heating coils, a burner, water and fuelpumps, means for varying the effective deliveries of the pumps, a regulating device comprising'apiston and cylinder located in the watersupply connection between the pump and boiler, the movable element thereof ing adapted to actuate said-means in accordance with variations of the pressure at the water end ofthe boiler,

and a manually controlled lever for rendering the said movable element wholly or partially idle.

4, In combination, a boiler having a vaporizing and a superheating coil, a fire chamber, pumps for supplying liquid to the c amber, a driving boiler and fuel to the fire mechanism which tends at all times 'to'impart a maximum stroke to the pumps,1a stop interposed in the path of said driving mechanism which automatically varies the effectivestrokes of the pumps in accordance with the demand for superheated vapor and in substantially the same degree, and a manually-actuated device for modifying the action of said stop.

5. The combination with a boiler and liquid fuel burner for the same, of water driving means attached to the cross head,

and means sensitive to variations in the water pressure on the boiler for varying the amount of lost motion of the driving means to vary the deliveries of the pumps.

. 7. The combination with a boiler and a liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps having their plungers connected,

means for positively actuating said plungers in one direction, a spring for returning them, and means actuated by the boiler pressure for automatically varying the length of the 4 stroke.

8. The combination with a boiler and a liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, means for simultaneously actuating their plungers in one direction, a spring for returning them, a stop for limiting the, return stroke, and automatic means I for adjusting said stop.

9 The combination with 'a boiler and a liquid fuel burner therefor, of Water and fuel pumps, means for simultaneously actuating them in one direction, a spring for returning them, a stop for limiting the return stroke, means for applying force to adjust said stop in one direction, and a spring for returning said stop when said force is withdrawn.

10. The combination with a boilerand a liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, means for simultaneously actuating them in one direction, a'spring for returning them, a stop for limiting the return stroke, a plunger movable by the boiler pressure and acting to adjustsaid stop in one direction, stop.

liquidfuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, a common cross head connecting the plungers thereof, a forked rod pivot'ally 11.'The combination with a boiler and a and a spring for returning said connected with the cross head at one end, an

eccentric engagingthe forked end of the rod for movlng the latter in one direction, a spring acting on therod for returning it,

and means for varying the extent of movelnent'of the rod.

The combination with. a boiler and a hquld fuel burner therefor, of Water and fuel pumps, a forked rod connected with their plungers, an eccentricv revolving between the branches of said fork, and a cross-- bar to receive the thrust of'said eccentric.

13. The combination with a boiler and a liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, a common cross-head for their plungers, a rod connected with said crosshead and having a double fork at one end, guide blocks on which the branches of said forkslide, an anti-friction roll atone end of the. fork between said branches, and an eccentric revolving between said branches and engaging with said roll.

14. The-combination with a. boilerand a liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, a common cross head connecting the plungers thereof, a forked rod pivotally connected to the cross head at one end, an eccentric, a sliding connection between the eccentric and the forked end of the rod for moving the latter in one direction, a tension device acting in opposition to the rod for moving the plungers in the opposite direction, and means for varying the extent of movement of the rod against the t-ensipn of the said device.

15. The combination with a boiler and liquid fuel burner therefor, of water and fuel pumps, means for actuating the pumps simultaneously, a device independent of said actuating means which is controlled by the water pressure between the water pump and the boiler for simultaneously varying the strokes of the pumps, and a manually controlled means for rendering the pressure device wholly or partially inactive.

16. In a' steam generating system, the combination of a boiler, a power pump for supplying water thereto, a Variable stroke mechanism for the pump, a device automatically actuated b the pressure of the water.

supply for varying the length of stroke of said mechanism, and a means under the control of the operator for varying the movement of said device to any degree within its range of operation.

17. In a steam generating system for automobiles, the combination .of a boiler, a

burner therefor, pumps for supplying water and fuel to the boiler and the burner, an enginereceiving vapor from the boiler, a variable stroke mechanism common to the pumps which is driven by the engine, an automatic pressure device responsive to the water pressure between the pump and the boiler for varying the length of stroke of said mechanism, and means controllable from the vehicle seat for varying the effect of said device on the variable stroke mechanism.

' 18. In a steam generating system for antomobiles, the combination of a boiler, a

- burner therefor, pumps for supplying water and fuel to the boiler and 'burner respectively, an engine, means driven by the'engine for actuating the pumps simultaneously, a pressure device controlled by the fluid delivered by one of the pumps for simultaneously varying the strokes of both pumps, and it separately controlled means for regulating the effect of said pressure device to any degree between zero and maximum.

19. In a power the combination of a. boiler and burner therefor, pumps for supplying water and fuel to the boiler and burner respectively, an engine for driving the vehicle which receives vapor from the boiler, a driving mechanism for the pumps arranged to operate when the vehicle is moving, a pressure device controlled by the ressure of the fluid delivered by one pump or simultaneously varying the strokes of both pumps, and a manuall controlled means which is operative the range of operation of said pressure dev1ce. Y Y a In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of November, 1902. OTTO F. PERSSON.

Witnesses:

DUGALD McK. MoKnlLor, JOHN A. MCMANUS.

25 system for automobiles,

12 movements of the vehicle for eontrolhng- 

